Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-07-20
CULTIVATING THE DIRTY.
Neatmess and Cleanliness Bar
to Charity.


Boston Transcript
The other day the Listener fell in
with a man, an elderly and honest
mechanic, living in one of the subur.
ban towns, who told an interesting
story that hinged for the most part on
the difficulty that man who is clean
has in convincing people that he is not
well-to-do. 1t is rather instructive
commentary on our ways of life, for it
illustrates the difference between the
manners of our poor, for instance, and
those of France, where even the I'M
employed and half-fed workmen gen.
orally goes about in blouse of spick-
and-span neatness.
"IEor the past fifteen years." said
the mechanic of whom the listener
speaks, 81 have had lively 'rastle'
with poverty and disease, and during
that time I've naturally learned some
things that did not know before, and
/ have most decidedly changed my
opinions on several matters that have
come under my observation. One Of
the things that I've learned is, that if
person is poor, needs aid, assistance
or charity, if you please, it is a great
deal better for him to be dirty and
ragged than it is to keep himself
clean, neat and respectable looking.
Zone Monday morning, on going to
my shop, l met man, stranger,
who was in search of some one to do u
job of work for him in my line Of bus
mess as mechanic. l took the job
and did the work. When he was pay
ing me he expressed himself greatly
pleased with the way in which the
work was done. Now said he, do
you know that l am very agreeably
disappointed in you? When l met
you that Monday morning l was OF a
great mind not to employ you, for |
thought that q man that was around
Monday dressed up as you were could
not be worth much.' 1t was summer
time, and l had on blue flannel suit
that cost me four dollars. l bought it
secondhand of a friend that it did not
fit. My boots were blacked, and had
on a paper collar that cost a cent?
think VII the clothes that | had on did
not cost over ten dollars. So much
for being dressed up Bnt l was
neat and clean.
"On another occasion a mechanic in
a similar line of business to mine,
which is quite dirty one, said to me:
How can you afford to go round
dressed up all the time as you doo
We'll, now,' said l, how much did
you pay for those pants you have on? p
Eight dollars well, mine cost me
two oh, well, you always have a
clean collar on and have your boots
blacked.' WELL said l paper collars
don't cost but cent, and little exer-
ton will keep your boots blacked.
That was just the difference between
him and me. His clothes cost him
four or five times what mine did me,
but he looked slouchy and dirty while
| looked neat and clean.
"In talking with lawyer OF my
the Listeners inform
ant went on, "abOut the times, and
how hard it was to make both ends
meet, he expressed surprise, and said
why you always look neat and clean
and respectable That's it exactly.
He instinctively associated poverty
with squalor and dirt, and couldn't
that a person who was poor
and in distress could keep himself
slean.
81 find that many Massachusetts
charities are conducted in manner
calculated to encourage just this feel
ing, and destroy the self-respect and
in the recipient of their char
ity. Some time ago my hearing began
to fail, and it became evident that
must have an operation performed
upon my ears. l was advised to 60
to the Massachusetts Eye and Ear In |
Urinary, and was told that it would |
cost me nothing. So one morning
dressed myself in the best l had,
washsd, shaved, blacked my boots,
put on clean shirt and new paper |
mistake. On entering |
The reception room found quite
q number of people waiting to
be operated on, and although the win
low was open for ventilation the air |
had that close, fetid smell that always
comes from collection of people who
are not particular about keeping their
clothes and persons as clean as they |
might. After waiting quite while |
my turn came, and was ushered into |
he operating room. On taking my |
seat in the revolving chair before the |
operating doctor he whirled me round
TWO or three times and then said:
You have no business here Why |
not?' / asked. This is charitable |
institution, and you can afford to pay
said he. suppose l did look pretty |
nice, but all / had on, Overcoat and
all, didn't cost over twenty dollars.
Not caring to enlighten him as to
she details of the petty economies that
4 poor man has to practice, simply |
asked what should do. He said he |
would give me the card of doctor
hat / could 60 to, who would not
,harge me much. Consequently 1
went to him. He charged me five |
lollars. Now five dollars, in the state |
Of my finances at the time, hurt me |
more than it tickled, and l have
come to the conclusion that if | have
more to be done in that line,
shall go in my working clothes, with
a dirty shirt, unshaved, boot un-
and without any collar on.
| haven't any doubt that my wants
will be promptly attended to without
q word"